X fined 120 million euros by EU in Digital Services Act penalty

Elon Musk’s social media platform X has been fined 120 million euros (about 140 million dollars) by European Union tech regulators for violating EU online content rules. This marks the first enforcement action under the bloc’s landmark Digital Services Act, signalling an aggressive stance on policing harmful and illegal content across digital platforms, as per a report by Reuters.

The penalty comes at a moment of escalating tensions between Europe and the United States over Big Tech oversight. The administration of US President Donald Trump has criticised EU regulations, alleging they unfairly target American companies and restrict free expression by limiting what content Americans can post or view.

The European Commission defended its position, asserting that its rules do not discriminate by nationality and instead uphold EU digital and democratic standards that are often adopted globally. The Commission said the investigation into X lasted two years and concluded that the company failed to comply with requirements to prevent the spread of illegal and harmful content.

Under the Digital Services Act, the largest online platforms must proactively monitor and curb disinformation, scams and content that could pose public risks. X has come under particular scrutiny since Musk’s takeover, which saw reduced content moderation staff and the removal of several trust and safety safeguards.

In a parallel action, EU regulators have also charged ByteDance’s TikTok with failing to provide the required advertising transparency repository, a key tool for researchers and users to detect scam or misleading promotions, further highlighting the EU’s tightening grip on tech governance.